Improvement in machines for purifying and compressing air



, R. WILSDON. Machine for Purifying and Compressing Air..

Patented April 2, 1878* N. FEIERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFIon.

Y RICHARD WILSDON, on TOLEDO, oHIo;

IMPROV EMENT IN MACHINES FOR PURIFYINGAND COMPRESSING AIR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 202,083, dated April2,- 1878; application filed January 16, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD WILsDON, of Toledo, in the county of Lucas,and in the State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hydraulic Air Purifyingand GompressingApparatus; and dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of thisspecification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a hydraulic air purifying and compressing apparatus, as will behereinafter more fully set forth.

The annexed drawing represents a Vertical section of my invention.

The object of this invention is to purify air by washing through water,and compress the same by means of water-pressure. It is designed for usein cities where there are water= works, although the same can be usedwhere there is a tank elevated sufficiently to give pressure. Arepresents the water-supply pipe, through which water is supplied underpressure to a nozzle or jet, B, which is made with a very smallopeningsay, about one-twelfth of the diameter of the supply-pipe. As thewater is forced through this small opening into a pipe, D, it forms avacuum, which causes a constant flow of air through the pipe 0, andwhile the air is passing through the pipe D it is thoroughly washed bythe constant spray of water before it reaches the chamber E G. Onentering this chamber the water descends to the lower part, and thepurified air ascends to the 'upper part of the chamber, E representingthe air-space, and G the water-space, when the apparatus is not underpressure.

F is the outlet for the purified air, through which it may be conveyedin pipes any distance.

As the water is thrown into the chamber E G and descends it passesthrough the pipes M and N into the column H, until it rises in thecolumn to the overflow-pipe I, when the water rests at a level in the.column H and chamber E G when the apparatus is not working underpressure.

J is a conducting-pipe leading to the sewer K, to carry off the overflowof water. L is a waste-pipe for air to pass out when the outlet F isclosed and the apparatus is working under pressure, and also to preventthe parts H, I, and J from acting as a siphon, which would be the casewere it not for this pipe, when the pipe J extends below the bottom ofthe column H.

The air-supply pipe 0 is provided at its inlet with a valve, a, toprevent air from forcing back and out there when working under heavypressure, or water and air, should the seweragebecome obstructed.

The pipe 0 may be made of any length, so as to reach any point fromwhich it is desired to take fresh air.

When it is desired to work the apparatus under pressure the air-outletpipe F is closed or choked to a small opening; but when connected to acloset-cock or vessel to which pressure is to be added this is notnecessary. This done, the pressure upon the top of the water in thechamber E G forces it down and through the pipes M N into the column H,until the water is all forced out of the chamber G and pipe M, and untilthe air can escape through the pipe N, and up through the column H, andout at L.

Itwill readily be understood that for every twenty-eight inches inheight of water in the column H, when there is no water in the ch amberG, the pressure will be one pound to the square inch, and when thiscolumn is made fifty-six inches long the pressure will be two pounds tothe square inch, and so on.

When it is desired to increase the pressure to any desired limit thatcan be attained by the pressure of water, it is only necessary tolengthen the pipe M and column H or it can be effected by lengtheningthe column H and pipe J and putting in a series of connectingpipes, I,provided with stop-cocks, closing the lower one, and forcing the columnto anyheight. In this way the apparatus can be made adjustable, so as tohave one pound pressure or more, as desired.

The apparatus may be constructed of common iron pipe and fittings,except the nozzle or jet B and valve a, which should be made of brass orother suitable material; or it may be made of brass, copper, tin, orother suitable material, and of any desired proportions.

Among the many uses to which this apparatus is applicable are thefollowing, although it may be used for other purposes also, viz: tofurnish pure air and pressure upon beerkegs when on draft; forcing beeror other liquids from casks in breweries, &c., to kegs ventilatingrefrigerators, and for forcing currents of cold air through them byrunning the discharge-pipe F through ice-packs, by which means thetemperature may be kept nearly at freezing; or can use heated air fordrying, &c.; and many other uses not necessary to enumerate.

